300 students hit as Maoists blow up Bihar school

Patna, April 10: At least 300 students in a village in Bihar’s Lakhisarai district lost their school which was destroyed in a blast by Maoists ahead of voting in six parliamentary constituencies of the state Thursday. (Read: 53 percent voting in Bihar)

The new building of the government high school at Narotampur under Kazra police station totally collapsed in the blast late Wednesday night. The school was targeted as paramilitary personnel were camping in it.

“After the blast, studies in the school will be badly hit and students will either miss their classes or will have to sit under shadow of trees for classes if teachers go ahead,” said district administration official Sukhdeo Singh.

According to local police officials, angry villagers protested the incident and demanded the building be rebuilt.

Maoists used eight cylinder bombs to blast the school building. Police have also recovered three live cane bombs from the school premises.

A police official said that Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were camping in the school for last few days ahead of polls in the neighbouring Jamui constituency.

“When Maoists attacked and blasted school building, the CRPF personnel were out on duty,” the police official said.

It is not the first school destroyed by the left-wing rebels. In the last two years, dozens of schools were targeted by Maoists.